


Tenacious

by IreneClaire



Series: Various Notions Collection [30]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Bromance, Fantasy, Gen, Protective Danny "Danno" Williams, Protective Steve McGarrett, Protectiveness, word of the day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-26 11:01:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14999495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreneClaire/pseuds/IreneClaire
Summary: A continuation of the prior word of the day - "Catatonic"."..... Steve thought about Danny then, imagined him up by the car with Lou Grover where he'd insisted that Danny remain until the ritual ended and the fence installation completed. Shit ... he tried to void the thoughts from his mind and failed. Fingers wrapped around his temple, inside and out, and Steve scrubbed lamely at the painful spot. ....





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ginsteer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ginsteer/gifts).



> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: For Ginsteer over on A03 who saw more potential to continue from the prior word of the day ... not beta'd ...

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

 _ **Word of the Day: Tenacious.** 1. _firm, tight, fast, clinging; strong, forceful, powerful, unshakable, immovable, iron. 2. a tenacious opponent: persevering, persistent, determined, dogged, strong-willed, tireless, indefatigable, resolute, patient, unflagging, staunch, steadfast, untiring, unwavering, unswerving, unshakable, unyielding, insistent; stubborn, intransigent, obstinate, obdurate, stiff-necked; rock-ribbed; pertinacious.

 

 

As the kahuna's chants picked up in their intensity, Steve knew her ultimatums weren't being heeded. Her face was flushed, her eyes hardly open as she threw everything she had at ... well, at whatever the hell  _it_  was hunkered down. Nothing was really working though. At least not in the way either of them had expected. He'd anticipated some kind of quiet little chat with incense or smudge sticks. An interlude of sorts that would quietly purge  _it_  from the depths of the bunker. Steve thought that just maybe the kahuna had too. For all he knew, Nana TashiʻAukai had expected a placid vacating of some benign spirit or another. Instead, she'd riled the damned thing up and was being met with malevolence. He could feel it. Hell, he could sure as hell smell it! And, with a glance towards the orange-jacketed Department of Public Works foreman, Steve could see that the man's original boastful pride was slowly unraveling as he edged back the way they'd come.

"That thing can't be real?" The foreman blurted out before gagging on the putrid smell. "What  _is_  it?"

Stunned by the sight himself, Steve watched as the inky shadow elongated within the mouth of the bunker's entrance. It was blacker than he'd remembered - thicker and heavier. Almost tangible now.

"Is that thing for real?" The foreman choked out again, now virtually hiding behind Steve.

"Yup," Steve said, nodding once without taking his eyes off the undulating shape. He'd half assumed nothing would happen. That just maybe he and Danny had experienced some kind of weird anomaly or even over-dramatized things. He'd never assumed it would literally appear without so much as a pause. It was as if the damned thing had been waiting for them; then again maybe it had sensed what was coming when the Kahuna had begun the ho`oma`ema`e `ana ritual.

Steve glanced towards the woman. She refused to back down. She seemed to barely register the malodor. She was committed to the cause to cleanse the grounds before the DPW gated the land off from trespassers and he was duly impressed. Eyes widening, Steve inhaled sharply as it suddenly swooped down to daringly flit around the Kahuna's body.

"Holy shit ... that thing is as mad as hell," the foreman muttered and Steve nodded again. He felt it too. Its anger even resonated within his own head and startled by its evilness, Steve suddenly blinked: it  _knew_  him. He began to doubt this plan he'd contrived as the shape nearly obliterated the slight form of the kahuna. He'd no right to ask her to go this far. He'd thought he'd done the right thing by engaging her help. Now though? They all seemed to be in way over their heads and Steve began to sketch out a hasty plan to scrub this particular mission.

Their best bet was to cordon off the whole damned site and get the hell out. Let it stay right where it was!

Nonetheless, Nana TashiʻAukai held her ground fiercely battling it back as it circled her once and then twice. He only knew she battled on by the sound of her voice which never failed in its purpose. Stubborn to the hilt, Steve was still surprised when she seemed to win this initial standoff. But then Steve wondered if she'd really won or if its attention was merely diverted:  _to him._

It was Steve's turn to take an accidental step backwards as a question was posed to him. A question that only he could hear.

_Where is he?_

The words were purred inside his head with a false, child-like falsetto quality. Sounding so innocent, its intensity conversely brought Steve down to a knee as if he'd been punched between the eyes. He gasped out loud as a vise settled around his temples, squeezing harder and harder. A pulse beat pounded relentlessly between his ears and the voice increased in volume.

_Where? Where! Is he here? Is he?_

It mocked him inside his mind's eye. This thing without shape or substance. Outside of himself, Steve sensed TashiʻAukai moving around him and with a start, Steve knew it had released her to move on to him. This was good. As he held its attention, Steve felt the change happening. The thing wasn't as strong. He felt it loosen ... just a bit ... and he smiled back triumphantly. It was definitely weakening; losing its power.

_Where?_

It was still strong enough though as it pressed him again and Steve began to gag anew on its putrid stench. Something skittered like cold fingers across his brain and he fell all the way to his hands and knees.

_I'll have you ...both._

Head hanging low, Steve wavered there, rocking back and forth. He stayed there even as the foreman dashed away leaving TashiʻAukai to bravely joined him on the ground still shouting out native words Steve didn't understand. It budged again and lost its hold even more and yet, Steve was incapable of communicating that to TashiʻAukai. But she must have also sensed it because she refused to stop. For a few blessed moments, Steve felt it blink out and he breathed in, the things' touch completely gone.

"We'll bury you before that happens," Steve hissed out between his clenched teeth as a tendril of evil eked back in. He glanced up, meeting TashiʻAukai's dark brown eyes. She was amazingly calm and just as tenacious as ever. She offered him a smile through her litany of prayers and offerings. "Keep going ... don't stop ... it's working," he added for the Kahuna's sake because, even if it was resisting, her incantations were indeed working.

"Almost," she said breathlessly. "But ... it's ... strong ..." Her voice cut off and she winced as it came slithering back and Steve grimaced as well when it spoke to him. Weaker, yes, but as equally tenacious as the Kahuna.

_He's here ... yesssssssss?_

Steve thought about Danny then, imagined him up by the car with Lou Grover where he'd insisted that Danny remain until the ritual ended and the fence installation completed.  _Shit_  ... he tried to void the thoughts from his mind and failed. Fingers wrapped around his temple, inside and out, and Steve scrubbed lamely at the painful spot.

 _Danny was up top._  Waiting for him and before Steve could cordon off that thought, its broken purr became a pleased sigh and its intrigued whisper cut him loose. TashiʻAukai sounded pleased but Steve was petrified as he tried to shake the eerie feelings away and get to his feet. He heard an almost distant whisper again just as he was forcing himself back up to his feet, his hand on TashiʻAukai shoulder to drag her along with him back to the small dusty area where their cars were parked.

_Ah. There ...there ... he is!_

It was pleased - triumphant even - and Steve knew before he looked up. In horror, Steve looked up the path to see his partner already halfway down the trail. Danny's jog was light but determined, his gun drawn. Between them, the shadow lurked ominously and Steve heard it whisper its delight.

"No,  _no, no, no, no_! Danny get back! What are you doing! Get the hell out of here!" Steve shouted as he dragged TashiʻAukai along with him. "Get out ... stay back!"

 

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " ..... It didn't stop though. If anything it picked up speed, overtaking his stunned partner. It was far too late for Danny to do a blessed thing as Steve fell to his knees, his finger scrabbling wildly at his neck. For the first time since her incantations had begun, TashiʻAukai lost her voice. Her resolve faltered and she fell to her knees, her hands reaching through thing in a vain attempt to help Steve breathe ... to do something. ......"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: thanks to Phoebe for the quick sanity check!

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Danny paced relentlessly by the side of the Camaro muttering nonsense under his breath and completely ignoring the amused looks Lou Grover was aiming his way.

Steve had _left_ him. Steve had left him _behind_. Demanded actually that he stay with Lou "up top" as he so blithely put it.

"What makes him so much better at this, huh? So much _more_ prepared?" Danny griped, turning with an unexpected swiftness on a startled Lou Grover. "He was affected too! This is bullshit! What am I supposed to to do, _huh?_ Just sit and stay here like a damned dog?"

"You wanna go down there and take a look then?" Lou drawled calmly. "Seeing as it went so well the first time." Arms folded, he was casually leaning up against the Camaro and refusing to take any of Danny's bait. Danny glared at him; Lou simply stared back, his face far too bland. It was a blatant challenge; tried and true sarcasm from the older man, and Danny felt a flare of anger. But did he want go back down to the old bunker? No, he certainly did _not_ and his teeth nearly chattered inside his head just at the thought. There was a distinct problem though. He also didn't want Steve to be down there alone. It was as if he'd made that lousy choice anyway and had given the damned thing what it had always wanted in the first place! Stuck and annoyed at Steve for telling him to stay put and mad at himself for actually doing it, Danny kept pacing nonstop in a desperate attempt to quell his nerves.

"Well? Do you?" Lou had the gall to ask again and Danny whirled his way in his annoyance.

"I ... what ... down there? Me? No, _no_ ... shut up, Lou!" Danny stammered, feeling the hot red flush creep up his neck when Lou dared smile. But that didn't change his general opinion of things because he should be down there with his partner. Not with some ignorant DPW foreman and a native Kahuna who weighed about ninety pounds soaking wet. What kind of backup was that? Danny should have argued Steve's orders. In fact, Danny should just get off his damned ass and _walk_ down the trail: ghosts and goblins be damned! But as the hair on the back of his neck began to itch, he had a serious commitment issue.

"This is stupid. Why'd he have to do this? _Huh_? Why did he have to go back down there?" Danny bemoaned his partner's decision to keep an eye on the Kahuna as he waffled by the trail head. "She seemed pretty damned competent to me!" He felt helpless to act. His hands were sweating and a deep V of moisture traced down the front of this tee-shirt, staining the dark blue material almost black. He simply couldn't make a decision though.

"I dunno," Lou said from where he roosted, before recanting just a bit. "Well, maybe I do."

"Do you? Well, I sure as hell don't!" Danny complained loudly, drawing the attention of a few of the DPW men. His heart was somewhere up in his throat though and his throat was on the verge of closing. He thought he'd be fine. Had been positive in fact, but Steve had known better and now Danny was all kinds of upset and embarrassed as he loitered helplessly by his own car.

"That Kahuna is fully capable ... I'm sure ... of handling ... it," he muttered as he errantly toed a small rock before kicking it off to the side. "Still ..."

"Calm down," Lou said as Danny began to cough uncontrollably. "They should be almost done and once they are, this whole area will be gated off." Lou gestured over his shoulder to the crew of men from the Department of Public Works who were readying many feet of chainlink fencing.

"A fence isn't going to keep that _thing_ ... in," Danny hissed. He stopped walking then to look down the dusty path in the direction of the old bunker. He could just make out its outline through the heavy jungle. He shivered, taking an unconscious step backwards. To him, the shadow was obvious. It could have been a trick of the light or just his eyes, or even his own imagination, but a dark shadow seemed to have flit like ink across the path. He suddenly felt dizzy as his heart rate spiked.

Down below, he could hear the kahuna, her voice a nonstop timbre of sound without words. Her pitch seemed to have increased and Danny backed up another step. Something was wrong. He should go down and check on them. Steve, a brave DPW foreman, and one lone Hawaiian priestess were not enough to take on whatever the hell it was ... and all of _them_ who'd sometimes whispered chaotic warnings and admonitions. _Them_ ... who lined up to do its bidding.

"We should go down there," Danny murmured to himself, wanting for his legs to at least commit to the action. He shook his head though as he heard the woman's voice rise yet again. Something was absolutely wrong. He could feel it now.

"I don't like this one bit, Lou."

Behind him Lou continued to talk, but his voice had become a drone of sound much like the woman's. Danny scrubbed his fingers surreptitiously through his hair and then over his ear. Bees. _They_ sounded like bees droning inside his head before Lou's voice gelled into actual words again.

"No, but it will keep innocent people out," Lou was saying out loud about the fencing. "Whether or not there's something down there ... whether or not that Kahuna purges all of that bad juju out or not. This isn't a safe place for anyone. It should have been closed off years ago."

Danny snorted in disgust or at least he tried to as his feet finally began to move. "IF there's something down there?" He challenged Lou right back, turning on his heel and aiming himself down the trail. Lou's voice raised in alarm just as the drone intensified and Danny shook his head against the rising crescendo while automatically drawing his gun even though it would be of no help at all. Its familiar weight in his hand was enough to make him at least feel better. The buzzing grew thicker, deafening him, and he knew then what it was all about.

 _They_ were happy and they were letting _it_ know. _He was there ... and he was coming._

Though distant, Danny heard a pleased chortle inside his head before literally sniffing the breeze and stifling a gag. The acrid odor was overwhelming. That combination of wet rot and decaying death made his head spin. Danny paled more but he kept walking, his forearm instinctively covering his nose and mouth. Then he saw it and he had no where to go.

It was supposed to have been bound to that one central spot. The Kahuna had said so ... _so_ , what the hell was it doing coming up the path? Maybe it wasn't real at all. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him because even Danny knew how impressionable he could be at the worst of times. His own imagination had gotten him in trouble enough and pretty much of all his life. But as the shape flowed over the ground and he spied Steve struggling up the hill, hand in hand with the Kahuna, his eyes wide, there was no doubt.

And when Steve saw Danny, he broke into a long-legged sprint, almost ruthlessly toting TashiʻAukai along. To her benefit, the Kahuna seemed to be steadfastly chanting the entire time despite being off balance and quite incapable of really keeping up with his partner.

"Danny ... get out of there, man!" He heard Lou shout out his name once just before the big man cursed in surprise. From the area above, a faint sound reached Danny's ears. Something akin to a small stampede as the DPW crew scattered in various directions. Not a one towards where Danny was on the trail though.

"Shit," Danny muttered under his breath. If they all could see it too then it was real enough. He couldn't take his eyes off of it either. Horrified and mesmerized at the same time, he knew Steve was yelling at him, too. To stop and go back. His shouts were enough for Danny to at least slow his jog but then the thing seemed to stop midway, shifting and pulsing; maybe even beckoning him and Danny paused entirely. Steve was gaining ground on it with TashiʻAukai at his side. But the thing had stopped entirely.

Danny grinned.

 _It_ couldn't go any further.

So, it was limited then. Cautiously, Danny took a step forward but then moved to the side, taking a parallel track. It followed him but its distance didn't change.

"You're stuck, you bastard," Danny said while watching the pitch black of the shadow elongate in front of him. His private celebration didn't last long though because it shifted again, narrowing into a rivulet that flowed away from him and Danny blanched.

 _Am I?_ It whispered haughtily, its tone smug. _Am I? Or, is it you who is ...stuck?_

"Shit," Danny muttered because it was moving back and directly towards Steve. This wasn't what he thought would happen. Danny hadn't anticipated the damned thing doing something like this at all.

"Hey!" He shouted as he strode forward, breaking the invisible line within two or three steps. "Hey! Get the hell back here! I'm talking to you!"

It didn't stop though. If anything it picked up speed, overtaking his stunned partner. It was far too late for Danny to do a blessed thing as Steve fell to his knees, his finger scrabbling wildly at his neck. For the first time since her incantations had begun, TashiʻAukai lost her voice. Her resolve faltered and she fell to her knees, her hands reaching through thing in a vain attempt to help Steve breathe ... to do something.

"No!" Danny shouted as he bolted forward, eyes wide as Steve's face began to turn a sickly dark shade of red.

 _No? No ... What?_ The thing taunted him while it laughed, the sound grating dangerously inside his head.

"Get away from him!" Danny shouted back. "Let him go!"

 _Will you choose now?_ The thing asked coyly, toying even more with Danny as Steve began to lose consciousness. _Will you?_

"It's me, you wa- ..." Danny started to say but that was as far as he got when the thing released Steve and darted back to drape itself over Danny from head to foot. With a dim sense of deja vu, Danny knew this had happened before. Whatever the thing wanted - even if it didn't make much sense - this is how Danny had blacked out before. This was how he'd gotten lost inside with it and this was exactly how it had made him watch Steve die ... the first time.

Struggling to breathe through a rising sense of panic, Danny couldn't move or see beyond its thick cowl. _Remember_? It asked as it draped itself around him, hanging on his body. A weight which he could literally feel. Its thoughts and unearthly promises were now his again, deafening everything else around him.

 _Will you choose now?_ It asked again and Danny remembered what it had done to Steve, vaguely cognizant that the knife hadn't been real. That Steve hadn't actually been killed by it because he hadn't made a choice and he almost felt a sense of relief until it taunted him.

 _Are you sure?_ It asked him as it seemed to read his very thoughts. _Are you sure I won't do it ... now ... for real?_

Wondering why it wanted this of him, Danny grimaced against the smokey vapors which whipped around his head, entered his nostrils, skirted around his lips. Cringing as one, much like a gentle finger, traced his cheek, then his cheekbone, only to circle round to cup the back of his neck. Like a thin necklace, it joined in the front and Danny dropped his gun as he lurched onto his toes, drawn up higher by his neck.

_Kill for me._

The noose tightened, slowly cutting off his air and Danny gurgled his hands going to his neck to find nothing there at all.

_Forsaken beliefs. Lost causes. Holy wars. Kill for me._

The gurgle he heard was his.

_Impossible ... loyalties. Kill for me._

'No. I won't ...' Danny thought tenaciously even if it felt as if his toes were completely off the ground now. He refused to choose to kill as he was assaulted with the most horrific of images. He dug in refusing to believe it could do anything to anyone even as something changed around him and the thing chuffed an angry sound. Danny choked as it flung an image of Steve at him, broken and bloodied. Dead. He fought it as it paged through his mind like it was nothing, showing him the same images now with Grace ... Charlie ... warning him that it was capable.

'Why do you need me...,' Danny asked it nastily. '... if _you_ can kill? You're ... nothing.'

_Kill for me._

It growled at him and Danny wondered just how true it was. Could this thing kill? Could it kill by frightening someone to death? But could it really ... kill? It growled again at him in a rage and Danny choked as his breath was cut-off entirely. He didn't understand as the smell of tannic blood filled his nostrils. Sticky and warm ... the stench flowed over him ... taking over all of his senses. He saw red flowing within the blackness of it until ... some change made it angry again ... it faltered ... as

...something ... good ... flowed over Danny and he grabbed for it with his mind's eye. _Clean. White. Pure._ TashiʻAukai was there and Danny grinned boldly into the thing's darkness. He sensed its hold loosen and he pushed harder, fighting it off for a moment before it turned its attention back at him. Once more Danny couldn't breathe as it spewed angry words at him.

'I won't do it,' Danny thought. 'You can't ... you're nothing.'

 _Kill for me. Or I show you ... an image of a blood-soaked Charlie filled his mind ..._ he whimpered in disbelief ... and then Charlie was gone. The thing faltered. It blinked out, leaving Danny a juddering mess. Its resolve faltered for a second and Danny felt it waver. Longer now ... long enough for him to see the faint outline of Steve's silhouette in front of his face where pitch black was giving way to a more gossamer veil of a whitish-gray. TashiʻAukai was gaining ground and Danny could now feel Steve's hands on his arms and then on his face. He was pulled, tugged and torn away. Somewhere, somehow he heard a woman's voice - TashiʻAukai voice - shrill and demanding.

 _He could still die._ Danny knew that much as a tug of war began about him - around him - for him - he was plainly stuck within two different worlds.

"Danny!" Steve's voice was far away but there and Danny chose to follow it as the thing's hold began to give way.

There was another sharp tug, this one more inside his head and Danny winced in agony at the same time _it_ shrieked. It was going to find a way to kill him as its final prize. It clawed at him and abused his soul even as it began to fade. Danny wheezed in one sharp, whistling breath and then another. He still felt its anger and its hatred but it was weakening ... withdrawing ... running back to the bunker. TashiʻAukai was chasing it back with a vengeance of her own. Banishing it and forcing it to disperse into splintered bits of shade and shadow.

Danny lost track of time and place as he watched it go, painfully still attached and drawn along with bits and pieces of what remained. In a dead faint as it vainly fought to keep him, Danny started to fall like a puppet whose strings were being sliced apart one by one. As the final connection was severed, he fell hard and fast, half wondering that it was going to hurt when he hit the ground and yet, that didn't happen. Instead, his cheek fell against rough material. He sensed that the sickening malodor was gone, replaced by that of man-made nylon mixed with the scents of stale sweat and what was most probably cordite and gun oil.

 _Steve_.

He still felt disconnected though. His eyes refused to open as his body fought against the shock of it all.

"I got you." Danny heard Steve say practically in his ear and relieved, Danny tried to at least mouth Steve's name. But he failed as he was bolstered up into his partner's arms and fingers drilled into the side of his neck.

"Danny? Breathe ... come on ... breathe for me!" Steve chanted and Danny frowned because he was ... _wasn't he?_ "Danny! Shit ... Lou! I need an ambulance ... now!"

Eyes closed, Danny's head lolled against his partner's shoulder, his cheek practically melded to the very real material of Steve's heavy tac-vest. He felt himself laid flat on his back as calloused fingers once again groped at his neck, seeking his carotid artery to be sure.

"Breathe damn you!" Steve shouted at him again and Danny fought to argue that he was ... he _was_ ... confused when he felt Steve's hands on his forehead and chin, tipping his head back to conceivably open his airway more. Danny wanted to tell Steve to stop. To stop worrying because he was okay.

"Breathe Danny," Steve whispered. His tone was desperate, pleading. "Please ... it's gone ... so, just ... breathe."

Danny was sure that he _was_ breathing even as Steve began to give him mouth to mouth resuscitation and he saw himself from above, arms flung wide, hands palm up, his pallor ashen around lips turned blue.

From high in the air, floating calmly, Danny simultaneously saw Steve pause in his reps. He felt those strong fingers checking his neck while Lou elevated his legs and called for that bus. Below on the ground, Danny watched himself twitch - he tried again to tell Steve that he was fine because yes, it was gone - instead though as Steve bent again over his body, everything just stopped.

 

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " .... Steve refused to allow this to happen.
> 
> This with Danny was unacceptable in every way possible and without thinking, he slapped Danny across the face. Hard, almost brutally. ....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: I want to thank everyone for the wonderful, supportive comments. I appreciate each and every one. :-) And Phoebe - once again thank you for the read through - multiple sanity checks - suggesting to add more of the Kahuna was an insightful gem!
> 
> I hope you still enjoy this LOOOOONG one shot Ginsteer! :-) 
> 
> Of course though, that suggestion may have led to this NOT being the final chapter - (shoot me now). Please.

 

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

"I don't know what happened!" TashiʻAukai said to Steve. "And ... I don't know what it was ... it was just ... evil." She was breathless, pale and looked near to tears as she hugged her arms across her thin chest. She was trembling badly, beginning to feel the after affects of an enormous adrenalin rush.

Steve could only nod as he knelt by his partner's side, checking Danny's pulse rate and willing him to continue to breathe. TashiʻAukai was standing next to him. She shifted on her feet nervously and soon, her hand was on his shoulder, warm and meant to be soothing. He wasn't going to be able to find a calmer place until Danny was okay though.

"Is he okay?" TashiʻAukai asked. "I'm sorry. It was strong and ... and I don't know what it was."

Steve nodded again, praying that Danny was really okay even if he hadn't opened his eyes yet. Steve felt her fingers twitch in relief and a sympathetic hope. She was young and needed reassurance, both verbal and tactile but Steve wasn't quite able of providing either to the Kahuna. He knew that this - whatever it was - had been an unexpected event. And not only unexpected, but far more powerful than either of them had anticipated. If Steve hadn't experienced this evil first-hand, he'd never even considered looking for a kahuna. But he had and so he did[ and finding TashiʻAukai had been easy enough. She came from a long line of native Hawaiian spiritual healers and shaman. Her pedigree was impressive. Her experience though in _this_? Limited. And why would her resume be of a deep thing in this day and age? Steve was sure that exorcisms and their ilk were far and few between.

Happily. _Thankfully_. In fact, Steve was would bet his life that TashiʻAukai blessed weddings, homes and babies far more frequently.

"It's all right," Steve pushed out for her benefit because he owed her something. Actually, they all owed TashiʻAukai a great deal if he could just wrap his own head around what had just happened. He'd tried to explain it the first time to her - the fear, the horror - and yet, she'd still been intrigued and wholly vested. He'd never guessed this though; that it would fight back and resist as tenaciously as it had. And now? It seemed to have once more succeeded in hurting Danny and Steve wasn't sure just how badly this time. Incapable of taking his eyes off his partner, Steve remained on his knees even as Lou Grover joined them.

"They're no more than five minutes out," Lou shared, referring to the ambulance. He hunkered down by Steve and placed his hand on Danny's opposite arm. "He's ... so cold ... what the hell? Steve?"

"I know," Steve murmured. He'd done CPR and Danny was breathing on his own, his pulse rate was slow but steady. And yet? Danny's skin was ice-cold, his complexion ashen. The residual ache around his own throat was a deathly reminder of what nearly happened and Steve's hands slowly became fists of frustration.

"I think it tried to take him with it," TashiʻAukai murmured and Steve felt the shock of that statement clear into the pit of his stomach. It was true. That was exactly what it had tried to do and only then, did he deign to turn just enough to stare at the woman.

"What the hell does that mean?" He knew what it meant though - the damned thing had almost managed to do it - and his voice was distinctly more harsh than it should have been. He _knew_ and his expression must have communicated that because the kahuna backed away from him quickly a millisecond before she recovered her equilibrium. Her mouth adopted a stern line and her brow furrowed. She looked almost angry with him as she stepped forward again.

"Let me try something," she said. "It can't hurt ... maybe it will help him. No. It _will_ help him."

Then it was as if Steve didn't exist. TashiʻAukai raised her hands, closed her eyes and began to whisper nothing more than a soft susurrus of sound. A prayer? A wish? Here and there, Steve caught a native word he thought he understood. She'd been brave and had held her ground from the word go and was still determined to do her best to help. Steve certainly appreciated everything she'd done; she'd single-handedly managed to eradicate them of the damned thing. And now she was bound and determined to make sure Danny was safe - would be safe - as her voice took on deeper notes.

Nonetheless, he wasn't wholly able to relax _because_ of Danny. Steve felt they'd won but until Danny woke up, they'd lost - the thing was gone, but they were potentially faced with far worse consequences. As his desperation continued to rise along with TashiʻAukai's intonations, Steve looked back down into Danny's face, ashen and far too lax. Nothing was happening; nothing had changed. Despite the current steadier rise and fall of his chest, Danny looked ... _dead_. This was the threat of catatonia times two and Steve refused to allow this to happen.

 _This_ with Danny was unacceptable in every way possible and without thinking, he slapped Danny across the face. _Hard_ , almost brutally.

"Wake up!" He hissed through his teeth as he slapped the opposite side of his partner's face. "Danny ... wake the hell up!" Steve was suddenly shouting, drowning out TashiʻAukai's voice. Danny's head rolled from one side to the other, twin red marks already beginning to mar each of his cheeks. Under his hands though, Danny didn't react at all.

"McGarrett!" Lou yelled. "What in the hell are you doing?! _Steve_! Stop ... _stop_!" He cursed loudly when Steve ignored him, opting to solidly backhand Danny across the face for a third time. Behind them, TashiʻAukai faltered and stopped her chanting, for the first time, seemingly unsure of what to do.

"He's breathing, man ... what are you doing?! The bus is only a few minutes out ... I can hear it," Lou shouted. He was nearly nose to nose with Steve, breathing just as heavily, eyes wide in stunned disbelief. But as Steve readied himself again to strike out, the big man inserted himself bodily between them, trying to shield Danny's face.

"Are you out of your mind?! Just ... _Steve_ ... what're you _doing_?"

"Waking him the hell up!" Steve finally shouted back, upset and angry as he pushed Grover aside, ever watchful for a sign that Danny was hearing him. There was no way in hell that he was going to allow Danny the opportunity to sink into that damned catatonic state! Or worse if the kahuna might be right. He'd heard the spirit or demon - the _thing_ \- the first time and now he'd felt it. Been threatened by it. Damn near been throttled to death by it and Steve knew at least a decent part of the hell which his partner had been subjected to. The thing was gone, but TashiʻAukai was right about how far it had tried to take his partner, and Steve sure wasn't going to lose Danny now.

"He's like ... _ice_ ... and he has to wake up!" Steve continued to yell in his desperation. "Lou, we have to wake him up!" But as he pulled his arm back again, Lou grabbed at his shoulders, grappling with him to finally and very painfully dig his fingers into Steve's right arm to stop him.

"Lou! I swear ... get off me!" Steve hissed as he refused to back down or ... give up. He practically snarled at the older man because Lou just didn't understand. "I can't ... he can't ... we're gonna lose him, Lou!"

"No! No, we're not! Steve ... that's enough! Just stop it ... _look,_ " Grover pleaded with him. His eyes were large, liquid and full of empathy. He gestured with his chin down towards Danny.

"Just _look_ at him."

"Why? _What_?" Steve shook his head, still trying to free his arm, eyes blinking madly as he tried to focus on what Lou was saying to him. Afraid that he didn't have the time to listen. "What? Lou ..."

Steve took that moment though to look down at his partner. He saw it then and his heart practically stopped beating inside his chest.

_Danny was looking at him._

Or, at least his eyes were partly open. Steve could see just enough of the pale blue irises peeking out from under Danny's lashes. Steve gasped softly, stunned by what he'd missed. Behind him, TashiʻAukai had resumed her song, her voice brighter, stronger and just as determined and he spared her a quick glance, surprised at the jubilant look in her dark brown eyes. His mouth gaped wide and then closed as he refocused back on his partner. Danny's eyes were just barely open. It was a good sign. There was no recognition though and Steve just couldn't let go of things entirely - it was far too soon to count a victory. Shrugging his way past Lou's hands, Steve made a decision.

"Lou, help me ...get him up ... let's go. Come on." With a grunt to hide how his voice was breaking, Steve buried his hands in the front of Danny's shirt to heft him into a seated position. It was alarming how much Danny's head lolled so loosely on his neck despite the sound of a breathy moan which left his partner's lungs. Based upon what he could hear, the ambulance had arrived up top and they'd get Danny to the hospital. It was the logical next step but Steve wasn't sure what anyone was gong to do for him. Other than Danny's now overly reddened face, there wasn't a mark on him. Everything was _inside_ .. and saying that would make Steve sound the fool. Explaining the handprints on his partner's cheeks would sound - and appear to be - an incomprehensible abuse.

"S-tve?" The murmur was soft, raspy and very faint. Steve heard it though and with one hand still anchoring the middle of Danny's t-shirt to keep him upright, Steve used the other to cup his partner's neck when it sagged to the side.

"Yeah, Danno?" Steve asked. He swallowed hard, searching Danny's face desperately, feeling nauseous in his relief as his partner's face screwed up in abject confusion. "Hey buddy ... you're okay ... can you look at me, _huh_?"

Under his hand, Danny's skin was still ice-cold but he was finally putting up a fight to surface. Steve glanced over to Lou, not surprised to see that the older man was battling a few emotions of his own as he propped up Danny's seated position using the sheer breadth of his body.

"Thank god," Lou whispered as he gently rubbed Danny's shoulder. "Scared the crap out of me, Danny. You sure did."

"Lou? St've? S'okay?" Danny questioned them weakly. His head bobbled awkwardly beneath Steve's hand as he tried to focus on first Lou's and then Steve's face before needing to give up. Based on his expression, fully coping with the here and now was still going to be a lost cause of sorts. Danny was confused, exhausted and it was simply going to take some time for him to be able to center. And right then, Steve had all the time in the world.

"Yeah. We're good. It's all good, buddy," Steve replied. "I'm right here ... everything's going to be okay. It's gone. We're gonna get you home ... fix you up in no time."

"Let's get him up top; ambulance, Steve," Lou reminded him and Steve nodded in agreement. They'd do that and get Danny safely home.

"What's the matter?" Steve asked gently, briefly pausing as Danny blinked owlishly into his face. He was still supporting Danny's head with his hand, the other still keeping Danny's body upright by using his wad of his t-shirt. But Danny's expression was completely puzzled as he shakily traced his cheek with his fingertips.

"Danno?" Steve pressed worriedly. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

Scowling and then possibly managing to glare at Steve almost suspiciously, Danny pursed his lips. He rested his head in Steve's hand, closed his eyes, and breathed out a single syllable.

_"Ow."_

Steve tried to smile, the attempt short-lived when Danny's eyes skidded shut, his head falling even heavier in Steve's palm. The time for waiting was officially over and Steve lurched forward as he gathered Danny into his arms, Lou already moving to help. TashiʻAukai's murmurings never-ending.

 

_**~ to be continued. ~ (of course it is ... on and on and on ...)** _


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "....."What's wrong?" Lou asked as Danny got to his feet.
> 
> "Not a damned thing," Danny said, making a beeline for the beach, tugging his shirt off over his head as he went. "I'm going for a swim."
> 
> "Say what?" Lou asked. "Now? You?" ....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: phew - the struggle to get here w the muse was painful as Phoebe can attest. I need to thank Phoebe one last time and also Swifters for additional sanity checks and assurances that this chapter was on track. Thank you to all who have commented/reviewed ... I appreciate each word.

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Even with his eyes closed, Danny knew that Steve was watching him - and how could he blame him? While at the hospital, Danny had seen fit to lapse in and out of consciousness far too many times to count. He'd never roused long enough to provide his doctors any clues to support a valid medical reason for his fluctuating vitals or decreased body temperature. The end result had been a retinue of baffled medical professionals, who combined, could only treat his symptoms and who were incapable of offering a credible prognosis to his partner.

Steve without answers he could rely upon, was never a happy camper.

Danny's lips twitched briefly when he heard Lou sigh. The big man was equally displeased. He was currently exasperated by Danny's ongoing silence which was admittedly an uncommon occurrence. These little gaffs were being tallied up by Lou and Steve, one by one. Stored ammunition so to speak should Danny show signs of reverting to some odd catatonic state or, god help them, sprout wings ... or horns. Only god knew.

He should in the very least open his eyes and try to act more normal. Sitting there on Steve's lanai though, tucked under a blanket and still shivering, Danny just couldn't do it. He was mired in dark memories and blacker words. He was incapable of getting beyond a dim memory of having looked down at himself, Steve bent over him and then ... the blackest of holes. A sense of falling into a vacuum until this more recent series of disjointed wakings occurred at the hospital. Still deeply unsettled, Danny simply lacked the wherewithal to open his eyes or speak. Lou's long and aggrieved second sigh bespoke of the same reticence, too. Truth be told, not one of them knew what to say or do. So just maybe, sitting there together on the lanai was going to be good enough.

Feet up and wrapped in a blanket despite the heat of the sun, Danny tried to relax and get comfortable. But he was still so cold. His hands were especially like ice, so much so that they held an arthritic-like ache. He continued to shiver uncontrollably, still feeling that unnatural chill deep within his bones. The hospital hadn't been able to warm him up entirely and when the doctors insisted that this vitals were holding and near normal, Danny had simply stopped complaining. Steve had watched him with a worried expression, saying nothing to counter his eventual silence. He hadn't even argued Danny's decision to check himself out to recover at home. After all, with the doctors even insisting he was technically fine, why should he take up a perfectly good hospital bed?

He sensed why he was cold though. Steve knew why he stayed so cold, too. And Tashi; she also had known. Because of her knowledge, she'd never left his side; she'd remained steadfast, humming words he didn't know while he was awake. Singing softly even when he'd lost consciousness; maintaining a connection and providing him a way back as something inside him argued _where_ he belonged.

Somewhere along the line and at the first chance of a lull in his care, she'd quietly snuck to his bedside to whisper a few words of solace. She'd fastened an amulet around his neck. Something small and discreet, hanging by a thin, golden chain, tucked under his shirt. He hadn't asked what it was or what it might be for; he intuitively knew that the kahuna was leaving him with a small talisman. A token offering of added protection. Half-aware, he'd watched impassively through heavy eyes. At the time, he'd accepted the gift silently and then lost his battle to stay conscious without sharing a word of thanks. Then, he'd forgotten all about it by the time he'd been released.

And yet, he should have known better because Nana TashiʻAukai was an extraordinary woman from an extraordinary line of wise people. As he sat on the lanai shivering, Danny was becoming more aware of its ambient warmth. He found himself focusing on it, relishing how it rested heavily against his skin. As another strong chill wracked his body, Danny scrubbed at his face with both his hands, trying to rid himself more of his morose feelings. He felt TashiʻAukai's gift move under his shirt. Its weight remained warm against his skin. Noticeably warmer even than the sun. It was just taking a damnably long time to disperse through to his arms and legs. Danny scowled at that: the amulet was taking too long to warm him? Whatever made him think that about it?

Impossible - or maybe not so much.

Suddenly sick and tired of being stuck inside his head, Danny kicked the blanket off his legs and forced his eyes open. The amulet swayed soothingly against him and he looked up, staring out across the ocean, drawn to the blue of the horizon. The sun was bright and reflecting sharply off the water. By all accounts, the day was beautiful and ... warm. Hot actually and - he suddenly _wanted_ to be in the water. Briefly questioning the craving, he sat there for a moment. Danny looked at the water again and the amulet lay heavier around his neck. TashiʻAukai's gift bumped him again and an even strong shiver shook his frame. A longing to go into the water made him scowl in confusion.

No, _impossible_. It was only that he needed to be moving to warm up and besides, laying around feeling sorry for himself was getting him nowhere.

"What's wrong?" Lou asked as Danny got to his feet.

"Not a damned thing," Danny said, making a beeline for the beach, tugging his shirt off over his head as he went. "I'm going for a swim."

"Say what?" Lou asked. "Now? _You_?"

The older man paused, mouth hanging open as Danny walked right by him without further answer. There was a little doubt that Steve would be hot on his heels too, wondering about his behavior. Worrying if Danny was all right because Danny Williams and "a day at the beach" were not typically synonymous, one with the other.

Danny made it as far as knee-deep, before the taller of his two self-appointed guardians was by his side, concern virtually dripping off him.

"Ah?" Steve's questioning exhale made Danny chuff a soft sound; bemused when Steve's shadow briefly blocked the sun. Without looking at his friend's face, Danny merely pushed off through a small wave to kick himself into deeper waters.

Without a word and just as Danny had expected, Steve matched him stroke for stroke. At least, Danny thought, as his shape loomed near, that Steve showed him some consideration by moderating his pace. Slower than he could easily manage but not too overly obvious as to offend. Close but also not too close, lingering just off Danny's right side, no doubt worried and confused.

Around his neck, Danny felt the small amulet occasionally bumping into his chest. Now that he was in the water, the warmth from it seemed to intensify. It spread through his whole body and finally into his hands, displacing the cold ache. He had no idea what the kahuna had whispered over him in the hospital. But maybe this had been her goal the entire time; maybe this had been what her words had meant. Allowing a new urge to drive him forward, Danny dove down deeper under the water. Eyes closed and swimming harder, ears popping, he stayed under for as long as he dared just focusing on the feel of the small pendant as it alternately tugged against the current or bounced lightly against his chest. It felt good - comforting - warming him through. When he surfaced though, gasping and sucking in air, Steve was mere inches from his shoulder, his face creased with worry, one hand poised near Danny's arm.

Despite being so damnably courteous, Danny realized that Steve had been - still was - on the verge of thinking he needed rescuing. This hadn't been the kind of rescuing he'd needed though.

"Really? I'm okay," Danny said. "I'm fine ..."

"Really? You're okay?" Steve asked. Sarcasm aside, he was completely unconvinced and he waved his hand just over the top of the water to prove his point. "This ... is fine? Yeah. So, this isn't ... _well_ , it's not like you at all. _So_ ..."

"So ... I'm fine, you can stand down now, soldier," Danny interrupted while trying to calmly tread in place. He was feeling better but was still a bit off and trying not to stare blindly at the horizon. Forcing himself to focus on Steve's face, he mimicked Steve's gesture about where they were. "Or, _swim_ ... I guess we're swimming, right? Aren't you always harping on me to get in the water and work off some steam? Well, here I am working it off ... you should be happy ... over the moon." He tried to smile and offer Steve some kind of reassurance, joke about it even. He knew he had done the exact opposite though when his friend's face darkened.

" _Swimming_. And yeah, _why_? This isn't your ... style ... or your thing. You've always made that pretty damned clear. Our _thing_ is arguing that very fact - not you giving in to me. And just to clarify something else one more time, Danno, soldiers are in the damned Army," Steve replied as his temper came to the fore.

"They don't swim a helluva lot - you _never_ swim at all except under duress - so what's going on with you?"

Based on his tone, anger was the only way for Steve McGarrett, control freak extraordinaire, to express his fear and worry because he least liked surprises or those things deemed unpredictable. And as far as unpredictable went, his last few days had been fraught with the unknown. He sure as hell didn't need for Danny to get lumped into one of those buckets.

"What the hell are you doing out here?"

Groaning softly in defeat, Danny wound up shaking his head because he didn't really know. He was warmer but still felt a bit disconnected and had followed an obscure urge: no more, no less. Then again, everything about it was a pretty big deal.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Seemed ... it seemed like ...," he paused, considering what might sound at least like an intelligent response. But as he gauged where they were in relation to the distant shore, Danny didn't have a good enough reason. An unidentified urge? The stupid bauble around his neck that for some reason, was making him feel better?

"I don't know, Steve."

Steve stayed quiet. Just staring at him and Danny heaved in a long, suffering sigh when he realized that he was grasping the amulet and worrying the smooth surface between his fingers. Steve wasn't staring at him as much as watching what he was doing and, working hard at it, Danny unclenched his fingers.

"Let's go in," Danny muttered under his breath. He turned at the same time, bobbing with the heavier swells, but Steve stopped him.

"We should talk," Steve said. "At least, I need to talk ... I'm just ..."

"Freaked out?" Danny interrupted.

"Yeah, freaked out," Steve agreed. "That ... and scared half to death. Worried about you ... what happened. What I had to do. And now? Worried if you're really as okay as you keep saying you are."

Danny bit his lip, tasting the bitterness of the saltwater. _What Steve had to do._

He got stuck on those words. Danny thought he'd dreamed it all, but he hadn't and he sure didn't need Steve to clarify what he meant now. He remembered Steve slapping his face. That he remembered and he still had the sore cheek and ragged tongue to back it up. But the _other_? That bone-deep chill threatened again, arguing where he belonged.

That dim memory of having looked down at himself was founded in what should have been an impossible reality. But it had happened even if he wanted to deny it. Danny looked at Steve reading the stricken expression just right. He opened his mouth to speak and then wound up finding nothing to say at all. The thing that hadn't been a _dream_ came back with a clarity it shouldn't have at all: a view of Steve from above ... dark head bowed as he administered mouth to mouth to Danny because he'd ... _died_?

The Kahuna's amulet began to lay even more heavily around his neck. Warm. Tangible. _Alive_. Nothing at all burdensome, quite the opposite, as if it were trying to send him a message and quell his fear. He felt drawn to it and took another moment to trace its thin chain and then the oval shape with his fingertips. He wasn't cold anymore but he still had a problem to resolve. And if not a problem, a few things to reconcile within himself.

Nana TashiʻAukai was an extraordinary woman and just maybe, he was thinking too hard. He'd had a frightening, irrational experience. Yet, he was still trying to define a rational answer for it. Muffled words echoed in his head - first, _its_ voice and then TashiʻAukai's - and Danny practically cringed, his fingers spasming around the small amulet, relishing its steady warmth.

 _"Please ... it's gone ... so, just ... breathe."_ Steve's voice last of all. _A vision of a dark head bent over a deathly still body_ ...

"Let's go in," Danny repeated, afraid to look Steve in the eye, evading Steve's staying hand this time... just barely at that as he struck out for shore. "I want to go in ... I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

" _Danny_!" He ignored Steve's worried shout as well, opting instead to focus on the beach and trying to figure out just what the hell was going on if it was really gone.

"I'm fine," Danny said before Lou could ask him as he hit the beach. He kept walking, grabbing his discarded shirt off the chair he'd been sitting in and made a beeline for the house. He never reached the door though because his submarine freak of a partner had evidently gone into hyperdrive. Steve was practically on top of him as he reached the lanai.

"Freaking aquaman," Danny complained as Steve headed him off before he could go any further.

"You're actually not too shabby yourself," Steve said quietly. "Even if I did let you have a head start." The words might have been lighter than they'd just shared between them, but the tension was still palpable and neither of them were smiling.

"Yeah, so...," Danny screwed up his face, trying desperately not to go there, but then simply giving up. "I think I died ... and I think I saw you," he blurted unexpectedly. "I saw you ... I saw _me_ ..." Danny stopped in his tracks then, struggling for words even though Steve new precisely what he was referring to. "... the CPR thing ... that happened. It did happen, right?"

"Yeah," Steve whispered, his voice sounding hoarse. "It did. It happened."

Danny clenched and then unclenched his hands repeatedly, not knowing how to process the information. He'd known it all along. He had. But his universe was now a complicated intertwining of things which simply didn't belong together.

"What happened after that?" Danny asked carefully, a roll of his eyes darting back up to Steve's face and daring him to come up with something sarcastic about happy endings and all that since Danny was obviously standing right in front of him. Out of newly developed habit, Danny wrapped his fingers around the amulet. It was unnaturally warm. _Vibrant_ and virtually pulsing now after his impromptu swim.

"What did she do?" He whispered, the simple question meaning so much more because Danny wasn't so sure that he should be standing right there, in front of his best friend.

"TashiʻAukai ..." Steve breathed out the name like a song and then grinned. His gaze lingered on the gift which lay so comfortably around Danny's neck before his eyes met Danny's. There were always going to be questions but for Steve, what he said next was enough. His grin turned into a broad smile, one which lit up his entire face and made his eyes shine.

"What did she do? She destroyed it, Danno, and then ... _then_ ... she brought you home ... "

_**~ End. ~** _


End file.
